BIG SANDY — Ninety-two boxes. 3,600 pounds. 14,000 meals were recently unloaded in Big Sandy as part of a major effort by local ranchers and the nonprofit Producer Partnership to provide locally sourced beef meals to the community.
Pioneer Producers co-founder Shane Chauvet says the beef was raised and processed with one goal in mind: feeding local families.
"In November, we sent 12 beef down to Producer Partnership to get processed. And today, they're bringing the beef back," Chauvet said.
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Locally Grown, Locally Served
Thanks to Pioneer Producers and their partners, these meals will support children, families, and seniors in need by providing high-quality, locally raised beef.
"The local producers are bringing this back, and they want these kids to have the very best," Chauvet emphasized. "We know where it's coming from. We know what we're sending down, and we know what the end result is going to be."
Community Collaboration
The program involves about 15 people — including producers, financial supporters, and volunteers — working together to make it happen. And the effort is growing.
"We've had more producers coming to us and saying, 'Hey, I'd like to be part of this program.' So we're really excited about the future and what it holds," Chauvet added.
A Model for Rural Food Security
Producer Partnership, a nonprofit meat processing organization, helps communities across Montana increase access to nutritious, local meat — supporting schoolchildren and senior citizens alike.
Chauvet says they plan to process 12 to 16 beef per year for the program, though those numbers may increase as demand and community involvement grow.
"We figure between 12 to 16 beef a year is what we're looking at. We'll know more as time goes on and we get more solid numbers," Chauvet said.
Pioneer Proud
For Chauvet and others in Big Sandy, this project is about more than food — it's about community pride and self-reliance.
"I don't know how else to describe it, but it's a very prideful thing for our community," he shared. "Our community did the heavy lifting on this. And it's just, you know what? We're pioneer proud. Absolutely. Big Sandy takes care of itself, and it's doing it once again."
With more beef on the way and growing interest from ranchers, Big Sandy is setting an example of how rural communities can come together to take care of their own.
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